Staircase elevator



United States Patent O 3,121,476 STAIRCASE ELEVATOR Samuel Mazzarelli, 16 Grand Ave., Balrnville, Newburgh, NY. Filed Aug. Q9, 1960, Ser. No. 52,713 Claims. (Cl. 1537-42) This invention relates to elevator structures, and more particularly to a passenger elevator adapted for installation as an adjunct to a conventional staircase in a dwelling, Sanatorium, hospital or the like for use by individuals deprived of the normal ability of voluntary ambulation, such as the paralytic or invalid conlined to a wheel chair, or the organically incapacitated individual who is restricted from overexertion, such as in climbing stairs.

Elevator structures of the character referred to are not broadly new and the prior art consists primarily of attempts to provide novel features which render such devices practical. lowever, there are two major disadvantages to be found in the art which have not heretofore been successfully overcome for the reason that in the prior arrangements the obviating of one of the disadvantages gives rise to the other. These disadvantages have to do with the mounting of the elevator carriage and the utilization of space in the staircase, and they stem from the fact that the elevator structure, being an installation in an existing staircase, occupies space originally limited to that amount of space necessary to render the staircase adequate for its purpose.

Therefore, the rimary object of the present invention is to obviate the aforesaid disadvantages and provide an elevator structure of the character referred to which does not materially diminish the staircase space and which is mounted therein for stabilized support of the elevator carriage at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide an elevator structure adapted particularly as a conveyance for a person seated in a wheel chair.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of an elevator structure adapted for safe operation by a person confined to a wheel chair therein, which structure is equipped with safety means to give the user assurance of safe transportation in the use of the elevator.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel form of mounting for the elevator carriage, whereby it is supported in a level position and adapted for smooth, steady movement throughout the extent of its travel.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a study of the detailed description to follow with reference to the drawings.

ln the accompanying drawings, the invention has been shown merely by way of example and in preferred form and obviously many variations and modifications may be made therein which will still be comprised within its spirit. lt is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations are set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings FIG. l is a diagrammatic side elevation of the elevator structure of the present invention;

PEG. 2 is a sectional View, taken on the line 2-2 of FlG. l and partly broken away, of the improved suspension mounting; and

FIG. 3 is a view of the door opening at the top landing, showing the relation of the carriage thereto.

As shown in the drawings, the invention contemplates an elevator structure 1i) adapted to be installed in the well 11 of a conventional form of staircase 12. The staircase 12 shown is comparable to the usual relatively open structure leading from a ground floor level or upper landing ICC 13 to a basement level or lower landing 14, but the invention is not limited to an installation in such area and may be applied to any conventional stair well, either one having a wall extending the full distance along one side thereof or one completely walled in on both sides. At the upper landing 13 the stair well 11 is shown as having a doorway 15 outlined as usual by a jamb 16, standard forms of which extend inward from the walls on both sides of the stair well a distance of several inches and outline a doorway of less width than the distance between said walls, thus creating normally useless areas 17 at opposite sides of the doorway 15.

A framing 2t? is erected and secured against the opposite walls of the well 11 to extend at an inclination from the jamb areas 17 to the lower landing 14, the framing preferably comprising heavy wooden timbers 21 positioned a substantial distance above the staircase 12. At their lower ends the framing timbers 21 are anchored to the staircase 12 by wooden strappings 22 to hold them fixed in relation to the staircase. The framing timbers 21 support each a four sided steel channel member 30 hav ing its bottom wall 31 formed with a slot 32 extending continuously throughout its length. The channel members 3i? are secured to their respective timbers 21 lby a plurality of brackets 33 fastened at intervals along the timbers.

The channel members 3i? constitute rails from which a carriage 3S is suspended for linear translation under motive power provided by a winch 36 driven by an electric motor 37. The winch operates through a pair of cables 38 running from drums 39 thereof (one drum and cable not being indicated) mounted on opposite ends of a shaft d@ journalled in brackets 41 secured beneath the upper landing 13, the drums 39 being in vertical alignment with the channel members 3G. Each cable 38 runs from its respective drum 39 over a pulley 42 located in advance of the upper end of each channel member, from whence the cable extends within the channel member and is connected to an upper carriage support 43 therein. It should be stated here that the winch 36 operates in one instance to pull the carriage 35 in its ascent from the lower to the Lipper landing, and at other times as a powerl drag to control the speed of its descent by gravity. To inaugurate the movement of the carriage 35 by the winch 36 the starting of the electric motor 37 is controlled by the passenger in the carriage through the manipulation of either a switch 44 at the upper landing 13 or a switch 4S at the lower landing 14, as the case may be. The electric circuit is of a standard type which is wired for fully automatic control to stop the carriage at either landing; and the necessary available and approved safety units are included in A the installation. These devices do not form a part of the invention, however, and for that reason have not been shown in detail.

Referring to FIG. 3, it will be seen that when in its top position the rear edge of the iloor Sti of the carriage 35 is adjacent to and substantially in the horizontal plane of the upper landing 13. Rising from the side edges of the floor 50 are side walls 51 and 52 of the carriage 35 and it will be noted that they extend upward to a height which would be more than waist high with respect to a person seated in a wheel chair. Near the end ofthe carriage 35 farthest from the doorway 15, a safety bar 53 is provided to extend between the side walls 51 and 52, and this bar may be grasped by the occupant to hold the chair s-teady within the carriage and give the occupant a sense of security during the descent of the carriage. When the carriage is ascending, the safety bar 53 is in back of the wheel chair and insures against accidental backward movement of the chair; or if desired, the chair can be positioned so that the occupant can grasp the bar 53 during ascent of the carriage 35 as well as during its descent. As shown, the safety bar is longer than the distance between the side walls l and 52 and its opposite ends extend into apertures 54 formed therein, there being suflicient space between the side walls 5l and 52 and the adjacent walls 55 of the stair well so that the bar may be slid laterally in either direction to remove one end thereof from its respective aperture, tilt that end of the bar upward so that it will clear the top edge of the side wall at the depressed area 56 thereof, and then slide the bar over said wall to remove the opposite end thereof rom the aperture in which it is engaged. In practice, of course, suitable mountings on the side walls Si and 52 can be provided so that one end of the bar 53 is swingably fastened thereto and the other end removably engages in a yoke or releasable snap fastening.

lt is important to note the spaciousness of the carriage 35 and its relation to the doorway l5, which is outlined by the door jamb 16. It will be seen that the width of the floor 5@ of the carriage 35 and space between the side walls 51 and 52 are substantially equal to the width of the doorway, i.e., the distance between the vertical casings 57 and 53 of the jamb i6. Thus the passage through the doorway l5 is not materially restricted, nor is the staircase 12 area materially restricted when the carriage is at the lower landing 14.. It is pointed out that the iioor 50 is provided at its forward edge with a slightly inclined ramp 59 which, at the lower landing le (see FlG. l) contacts the surface of the landing and provides a gently sloping lip for rolling a wheel chair into and out of the carriage.

Coming now to a main feature of the invention, the carriage 35 is supported on the rails or channel members 30 by suspension, an arrangement which supports it evenly'at all times and makes it ride smoothly along the rails. In FIG. l it will be seen that a four-point suspension is provided by the trucks 43 located on opposite sides of the carriage. On one side a truck 43 is arranged near the lower front end of the carriage 35 and another of the trucks 43 is located near the upper rear end of the carriage. An identical arrangement of two of the trucks 43 in diametrically opposite locations is made on the other side of the carriage.

Each truck 43 comprises a relatively short metal rod or shaft hanger 6i), the lower end of which is formed with or secured to a bracket 6l. adapted for fastening it to a frame portion 62 of the carriage 35 as by a bolt 63. The opposite or upper end of the hanger 60 is formed with a fore and aft extending (FIG. l) cross head, each end of which terminates in a boss 64 formed with pins (not shown) extending laterally therefrom in opposite directions. A wheel or roller 65 is rotatably mounted on each of said pins, thus providing a truck 43 with four roller purchase or bearing points.

The truck 43 fits within the rails or channel members 3) with the hangers 60 extending through the slots 32 in the bottom walls 3l thereof and the wheels 65 in position to ride on the portion of the walls 3l on opposite sides of the slots 32. However, it is another feature of the invention that the channel members 30 are each equipped with a rail insert 70, which in cross-section outline is identical with the member 3l) but is of lesser dimensions, the interior height thereof being but slightly greater than the diameter of the wheels 65. The distance between the outer surfaces of the side walls 71 of the insert 79 is substantially the same as the interior width of the channel member 30, and the height of the insert 7l) is substantially less than the interior height of the channel member 30, leaving a space 72 between the top walls of the insert and channel member. The channel members 31) are secured to the supporting brackets 33 by bolts 73, the bolts 73 extending through apertures in the brackets 33, in the top walls of the channel members 3d, and through apertures in the cross bars of inverted U-shaped straps 713 formed on the inserts 7i). The straps '74 not only hold the inserts 7@ in place lengthwise of the channel members 30 but also vertically thereof. Thus there is provided by the l foregoing arrangement a nice fitting truck and rail structure on which the trucks 43 are mounted for free linear translation but confined to prevent wobbling, jumping, etc., all making for smooth riding of the carriage 35 and preventing excessive wear of the running gear.

As already stated, the invention has been shown and described merely by way of example and in preferred form and obviously many variations and modifications may be made therein which will still come within its sco-pe. Therefore, the appended claims are not to be interpreted as limited to any specific form or embodiment not expressly set forth therein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. An inclined elevator structure comprising, in combination, a pair of spaced-apart, substantially enclosed rails extending at an inclination between an upper landing and a lower landing, said rails terminating at their lower ends at the level of the lower landing, an elevator carriage arranged between and supported by said rails for movement from a position substantially level with one of said landings to a position substantially level with the other, control means operable at will for inaugurating the movement of the carriage, power means operable in response to said control means for effecting the movement of the carriage, and meansV for movably supporting said carriage on said rails comprising a plurality of suspension couplings secured to opposite sides of the carriage and supported by interior surfaces of said rails for free translation thereover.

2. A combination as in claim l, wherein two of said couplings are secured to each side of the carriage in vertically spaced relationship to afford a stabilized suspension of the carriage at all points in its travel between said landings.

3. A combination as in claim l, wherein said carriage comprises a lloor and side walls upstanding therefrom and is open for access thereto from either end substantially at floor level of both of said landings.

4. An inclined elevator structure adapted for use in a stair well connecting a lower landing with an upper landing, said structure comprising (a) a pair of spaced apart rails extending at an inclination between the upper and lower landings,

(b) said rails terminating at their lower ends at substantially the level of the lower landing,

(c) an elevator carriage arranged for movement along said rails from a position substantially level with one of said landings to a position substantially level with the other of said landings,

(d) each of said rails including an elongated inverted channel shaped member having vertical side Walls terminating with inturned iiange portions to define a slot coextensive the length of its respective rail,

(e) a substantially coextensive insert disposed within each of said rails,

(f) said insert being substantially similar in cross-section to the cross-section of said rail and resting on the inturned flanges of its respective rail wherein the sides of the respective inserts are disposed contiguous the side walls of its respective rail, and the tops of the respective inserts are spaced from the tops of their respective rail,

(g) a plurality of U-shaped straps disposed in the spaces defined between the spaced tops of said rail and its insert, said straps being longitudinally spaced to hold the insert fixed in place both lengthwise and vertically of its respective rail,

(l1) means for movably supporting said carriage on said rails,

(i) said means including a pair of suspension couplings secured to opposite sides of the carriage and supported by said rail for free translation longitudinally thereof,

(j) each of said pair of couplings being secured in vertically spaced relationship to afford a stabilized suspension of the carriage at all points of its travel between the landings,

(k) each of said couplings comprising a multiple wheel truck for riding on the insert within said rail, the wheels of said truck having a diameter slightly less than the height of said insert whereby the wheels are free to rotate therein for movement lengthwise of the insert but restrained against substantial vertical movement therein,

(l) a hanger secured to and depending from said truck,

(m) means connecting said hanger to the sides of said carriage,

(n) control means operable at will for inaugurating the movement of the carriage,

(o) and power means operable in response to said control means for effecting the movement of the carriage.

5. An inclined elevator structure adapted for use in a stair well connecting a lower landing with an upper landing, said structure comprising (a) a pair of spaced apart rails extending at an inclination betwee the upper and lower landings, said rails being spaced apart substantially the width of said stair well,

(b) said rails terminating at their lower ends at substantially the level of the lower landing,

1 (c) an elevator carriage having a width substantially equal to the space between said rails and arranged for movement along said rails from a position substantially level with one of said landings to a posiu tion substantially level with the other of said landings, said carriage comprising a loor and side walls upstanding therefrom and open for access from either end,

(d) each of said rails including an elongated inverted channel shaped member having vertical side walls terminating with inturned flange portions to define a slot coextensive the length of its respective rail,

(e) a substantially coextensive insert disposed within each of said rails,

(f) said insert being substantially similar in cross-section to the cross-section of said rail and resting on the inturned flanges of said rail wherein the side walls of the respective inserts are disposed contiguous the side wall of its respective rail, and the top of the respective inserts spaced from the top of its respective rail,

(g) a plurality of inverted U-shaped straps disposed in the space deiined between the spaced tops of said rails and its respective insert, said straps being longitudinally spaced along said inserts, and fasteners connecting said straps to said rail for maintaining said straps xed in place both lengthwise and vertically between insert and respective rail tops,

(lz) means for movably supporting said carriage on said rails,

(i) said means including a pair of suspension couplings secured to opposite sides of the carriage and supported by said rail for free translation along the length thereof,

(j) said pair of couplings being secured in vertically spaced relationship to afford a stabilized suspension of the carriage at all points of its travel between landings,

(k) each of said couplings comprising a multiple wheel truck for riding on the insert within the respective rails, the wheels of said truck having a diameter slightly less than the height of said inserts whereby the wheels are free to rotate therein for movement lengthwise of the insert but restrained against substantial vertical movement therein,

(l) a hanger secured to and depending from said truck,

(m) means connecting said hanger to the sides of said carriage,

(n) control means operable at will for inaugurating the movement of the carriage,

(o) and power means operable in response to said control means for effecting the movement of the carriage.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Kennatrack advertisement appearing on page 20, House and Home, vol. IX, No. 1, January 1956. 

1. AN INCLINED ELEVATOR STRUCTURE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A PAIR OF SPACED-APART, SUBSTANTIALLY ENCLOSED RAILS EXTENDING AT AN INCLINATION BETWEEN AN UPPER LANDING AND A LOWER LANDING, SAID RAILS TERMINATING AT THEIR LOWER ENDS AT THE LEVEL OF THE LOWER LANDING, AN ELEVATOR CARRIAGE ARRANGED BETWEEN AND SUPPORTED BY SAID RAILS FOR MOVEMENT FROM A POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY LEVEL WITH ONE OF SAID LANDINGS TO A POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY LEVEL WITH THE OTHER, CONTROL MEANS OPERABLE AT WILL FOR INAUGURATING THE MOVEMENT OF THE CARRIAGE, POWER MEANS OPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO SAID CONTROL MEANS FOR EFFECTING THE MOVEMENT OF THE CARRIAGE, AND MEANS FOR MOVABLY SUPPORTING SAID CARRIAGE ON SAID RAILS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SUSPENSION COUPLINGS SECURED TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE CARRIAGE AND SUPPORTED BY INTERIOR SURFACES OF SAID RAILS FOR FREE TRANSLATION THEREOVER. 